The present invention relates to a rotary friction device of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,383 of Oct. 5, 1971, and to a method of making the same.
More particularly, the present invention is an improvement upon the aforementioned rotary friction construction of my aforementioned patent.
In rotary friction devices having segmented frictional mounting plates of the type disclosed in my aforementioned patent, each mounting plate functions independently of the other thereby to frictionally engage between relatively rotatable members. Such a segmented type frictional construction offers many advantages over prior art constructions of the non-segmented types because each mounting plate operates independently of the other to conform to and to provide a more precise and better frictional engagement between two relatively rotating members.
Although such segmented friction constructions are effective, the chattering noises they produce are distracting. They are also susceptible of hard grabbing engagement between the clutching surfaces. The mere fact that the chattering noises are sometimes produced is a factor that militates against the greater acceptance and wider usage of such constructions.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by teaching a construction and method of making the mounting plates and mounting them on at least one of the relatively rotatable members so as to obviate and avoid the production of chattering, clutch grabbing and other friction engaging problems.
It has been found that clutch or brake chatter and related problems are produced when the member supporting the friction element is engaged between two relatively rotating braking or clutching members and is placed under compression or permitted to flex during the clutching or braking operation. The segmented rotary friction device of the present invention lends itself to curing this problem.
Thus, a feature and object of the present invention is to provide a mounting plate that supports a friction element for engagement between two relatively rotatable members accurately in advance of the means employed to mount the plate to one of such members so that the friction element moves in the direction of arcuate movement of the relatively rotatable members to effect a pulling, stretching or tensioning force on the mounting means. The effective result is that the mounting plate or plates are placed in tension between the friction element and the means mounting the plate or plates to their relatively rotatable member. This causes the engaged plate to expand and to prevent its accidental flexure that produces the chattering noises.
The above description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein: